Planning hitch knocks firm • A Tewkesbury TA, firm which
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rented a site after being told there would be no planning problems has had its application for a licence adjourned until the result of a planning application by its landlords.
Jillian Jones, Donald MacKinnon and Michael Spooner, trading as Chillway, were seeking a national licence for two vehicles based at the Homesdown Achievement Park, Fiddington Ashchurch. When they appeared before Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Lester Madrell at a Cheltenham public inquiry their application was opposed by residents.
Bernard Bloxsome, for Chillway, said that after the firm moved in last October the traders found that the planning consent had conditions governing the hours of operation and prohibiting the operation of reefer motors on the site.
Because of the emergency nature of some of the firm's work, they needed to operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They had approached the landlord who had submitted a planning application covering, among other things, the delivery of chilled food and the parking of vans overnight.
It was understood that that planning application would be considered by the council in June. If the application was refused, or conditions were imposed which proved unacceptable, the firm would look for another site.
The vehicles were being operated under interim authority. This imposed conditions that no more than two vehicles not exceeding 7.5 tonnes could only enter and leave the premises once a day, said Bloxsome.
To get round this, vehicles wait ed at the drivers' homes before starting their journeys. .Madrell said keeping vehicles away from their authorised operating centre was a problem. Bloxsome replied it was only for a matter of an hour or so and not overnight.
The Deputy TC extended the company's interim authority as he adjourned proceedings until a date to be fixed.